Broken
by toriblake95
Summary: One Night In Mighty Pete, Changed His Opinion Of Her, and Changed Her Life.
1. Running In The Rain

**Helga's POV**

She was running as fast as her legs and the wind could take her. Her lungs and throat were on fire, but that wasn't going to stop her. Everything inside her body screamed and begged her to stop and rest, but she kept running. The raindrops felt like she was being stung repetitively, but she just kept running. She wasn't running anywhere in particular, just anywhere but back to her god-for-saken hovel she could barely call a home. The rain and dark night masked the fact that she was crying, bloody, and bruised. All she wanted was sanctuary. All she wanted was comfort. She was beginning to turn cold, and broken.

**Arnold's POV**

Rain was pouring down, and it stung. "_I just want to be home…_" he thought to himself, running down the block with arms full of grocery bags. The rain started falling while he was in the grocery store. "_Why did grandma need to make watermelon, and raspberry jam tonight?_" he loved his grandmother dearly but she was kooky in many ways and a bit off to him, he never truly understood why though. His legs hurt but he kept running, while the rain kept on pouring down on him. Suddenly, Mighty Pete came into his view and a smile crossed his face. "_Why Not?_" he decided as he approached the tree. With all his strength he held his groceries on one arm while using his hands to climb the tree to safety.

Arnold was greatful for the tree's easy-step ladder, and huge cover. He knew he was safe here, and would wait out the storm. He set down his groceries in a corner and scanned the medium sized room. A dark figure in the corner suddenly came into view, which shocked Arnold. Quietly, he approached the figure, thinking it might be some hobo in need of a hiding spot from the rain. He knew Karate, so he knew he could fend for himself if the figure attacked. However, what he saw wasn't even a man.

Lying on the hard wooden boards of the tree house was a bloody, bruised, wet, shivering and sleeping 16 year old Helga Pataki. Arnold let go of a breath he didn't even realize he had been holding in. "_It can't be Helga... She's a fighter… who could do this to a girl?_" Granted Helga had never been close to him or nice for longer than 5 minutes, but he did care about her since she had lightened up on the torment during 6th grade in middle school. Arnold had no clue as of what to do. His personal tormentor/frienemy lay in a corner of a dark and wooden room of a tree house bloody, and defenseless. "_How long has she been here?_" he wondered to himself as he took a moment to observe her.

Her hair was down, her usual gray beanie (that he had won for her at the cheese festival at the beginning of 9th grade) was beside her and her once thought to be gone pink bow was drooping in her hair, her clothes looked beyond soaking wet, and if he wasn't mistaken they were covered in blood stains. Helga rolled over in her sleep and with the help of a cut-out window, Arnold noticed she had a bruise on her left cheek the size of a palm-print. What made Arnold cringe the most was that there was a handprint very dark and prominent on her neck. Arnold, being a gentleman, wanted to know if there were marks anywhere else on her. Just the idea made his blood boil. Bully or not, Helga didn't deserve this.

They were three weeks away from starting their Junior year of high school, and Helga was tough, but he knew she would lose it if anyone saw her like this. He sat down in a corner close to her with his head in his hands. He was so mad because he had a good idea of whose handprints those were, and slightly mad at her for not coming to him with her problem. He wanted to cry for her, and panic was quickly overtaking him that he was beginning to feel frozen. Suddenly Helga's figure started to stir.


	2. The Truth

**Helga's POV**

Helga blinked her eyes a couple of times, taking in her surroundings. Everything about her body hurt mentally, physically and emotionally. She began to remember tonight's all out showdown at the Pataki residence and began to cry. Normally, she would wait until she was at home in the shower to do such things, but tonight Bob had gone too far. Her throat still hurt and it took all of her strength just to make it to Mighty Pete. Once she had reached her destination, she had blacked out and it wasn't even 8 o'clock. She looked at her watch "_11:30pm…_" she sighed as she took a glimpse out the window "_Looks like I'll be here tonight._" She thought quietly. She was fine with the idea, considering this wasn't the first time things had gotten out of hand at her house. She breathed and pulled up her jacket sleeves and started to cry again.

"_Great, more bruises I'll have to take the blame for._" She continued to cry and curled up into a ball. Little by little she felt herself breaking down. She took out her locket and began screaming. She thought the rain was loud enough to cover her screams and profanities, she hadn't realized she wasn't alone. She was mad, but mostly hurt. Bob's words stung, but she finally believed "nobody could ever love a worthless bastard of a child" such as herself.

"Stupid Bob! Stupid fucking life! I hate my parents! Fuck you Bob! Fuck You Miriam! Fuck you all and Your Precious OLGA! Fuck Hero's and White Horses! Nobody gives a shit about me! Fuck everyone and everything!" and with that she threw her heart shaped locket in a corner and began to wail in tears. She was self destructing and she didn't know how to stop it. She started to kick the walls and punch them. When she was done with that, she looked at her wrists and began clawing them and verbally assaulting herself.

"You're so stupid! Nobody loves you! Nobody cares! Everyone wants you to die. They'd be happier that way, including Arnold! He'll never love you! You're stupid! and ugly! and a bitch! He hates you and so does everyone else! Phoebe is your only friend and even she can't stand you! Nobody cares about your problems and everyone wants you to go away! Bob and Miriam wish you had never been born! You're just a scared little girl trying to act tough so nobody finds out you love someone you know you can't have! You stupid, worthless, ugly bitch!"

She was literally destroying herself. Her arms were bleeding from clawing them and she was only getting started. She ran over to her book bag she had brought and had just grabbed her diary when she was suddenly tackled by a mysterious figure.

**Arnold's POV**

Helga stirred and started to cry, calmed herself, looked at her arms and started to cry again. Arnold noticed in the little light they had that she had extremely dark bruises on her milky-white skin. He gulped but she didn't hear him. Suddenly she curled into a ball and cried. He was about to reach out for her when she suddenly stood up and started screaming.

"Stupid Bob! Stupid fucking life! I hate my parents! Fuck you Bob! Fuck You Miriam! Fuck you all and Your Precious OLGA! Fuck Hero's and White Horses! Nobody gives a shit about me! Fuck Everyone and Everything!" Arnold gasped, Helga was usually a very collected person with her emotions. As mad as she got, she had never lashed out this way. Suddenly Arnold realized the level of her words. She was breaking down.

He narrowly missed being clocked in the head with a golden piece of jewelry that smacked the wall and it landed in front of him. He glanced down and looked at the open locket. He was just able to read the words as Helga continued crying. Arnold gasped, and closed the locket only to be greeted with a picture of himself on the front of the golden heart locket. Suddenly she landed on the floor, bringing Arnold out of his shock/revelation. She began clawing at her arms and continued screaming more profanities.

"You're so stupid! Nobody loves you! Nobody cares! Everyone wants you to die. They'd be happier that way, including Arnold! He'll never love you! You're stupid! and ugly! and a bitch! He hates you and so does everyone else! Phoebe is your only friend and even she can't stand you! Nobody cares about your problems and everyone wants you to go away! Bob and Miriam wish you had never been born! You're just a scared little girl trying to act tough so nobody finds out you love someone you know you can't have! You stupid, worthless, ugly bitch!"

Arnold couldn't believe his ears. Helga was none of those things. She was actually pretty when she was nice and he knew she was a good person. Bitch never crossed his mind when it came to her, difficult, yes, but not a bitch. She had greatly calmed down in 7th grade so she was more accepted by people now. He realized her arms now had more blood on them and noticed she was going to retrieve something from her pink bookbag. Assuming the worst after what he had just seen, he ran up and tackled her to the floor. He didn't care if the tackle hurt her because he was more worried she would pull out a gun or knife and actually do something she would regret.


	3. Tears

**Helga's POV**

Helga looked up at who had just attacked her and was about to scream until she realized who was on top of her. She was even more shocked he was hugging her and if she wasn't mistaken, he was crying.

**Arnold's POV**

Arnold began to cry. This wasn't the Helga he knew and it scared him to death. He was going to hug and hold her until he knew for certain she would be okay.

**Helga's POV**

Helga began to cry again and began berating herself mentally "_Great going you yutz! Now he knows you're mentally fucked up and you actually have fucked yourself over!_"

Suddenly a shaking Arnold began to speak to her

"Helga, are you okay?" tears streamed down his eyes and Helga felt bad for making him cry. "_How did he find me? How long has he been here?"_

"Huh? Uh… I'm alright Arnold…"

"Don't lie to me, Helga. I saw you, I saw everything." Arnold was crying and still hugging her.

"You did?" Helga gulped "_I thought I was alone…_"

"Yes. Helga what in the hell happened? What in the fuck were you thinking?" Arnold just cussed, but he was crying and a bit hysterical so he didn't even care.

"I just… I… See… The thing is… You… " Helga suddenly began to cry again. (She had a ridiculous headache from the amount of crying and trauma she had just suffered, not to mention Arnold had accidentally smacked her to the floor when tackling her.)

"Shh… Shh… Helga don't cry… I'm sorry… It's just you scared me…" Arnold sat her up and hugged her tightly as she straddled in his lap. She hugged him back and cried into his chest. She noted his plaid red and yellow shirt was wet, but still soft. "Helga… Are you okay?" He asked quietly while stroking her hair gently. He was holding her in a corner of the room and refused to let her go. He sweetly rocked her back and forth as he quelled the tears of the broken girl in his arms.

When the crying had finally seized he took his chance to talk to her.

"Helga, what happened…"Arnold asked cautiously. He didn't want her to cry again, he didn't even know she could be so vulnerable. This was Helga Pataki- fearless bully and playground legend of Public Elementary School 118 and Public Middle School 118.

She sniffled and steadied her breath "Arnold… I really don't want to talk about it… its extremely personal…" Helga bit her bottom lip and found the hem of his shirt rather interesting at the moment as she lightly played with it.

"Helga, im all for privacy, but I just watched you lash out and physically as well as verbally assault yourself, not to mention you cried in front of me and let me hold you while you cried. Also, you have an immense amount of bruises, you're covered in blood and I watched you claw your arms until they bled… So forgive me, but I'm a bit more than worried about what exactly triggered you, Helga." Arnold was very careful about his words, but he wasn't going to let this just slide.

Helga took a deep breath "_might as well tell him now…_" she thought.


	4. Casualties

Helga Flashback (Anything in Parenthesis was not told to Arnold)

_Helga had just gotten home from work, after a long day at school. Tired, groggy and annoyed she just wanted to sleep. She cautiously walked into the threshold of what she could barley consider home. _

_(Bob, being a blowhard and brute had always abused his own family, but the physical abuse? Helga didn't know what caused it, so she assumed it was Olga dropping out of college to run off with some sleaze-ball jerk named Ronnie, mixed with his business going downhill thanks to newer, and better technology. Bob began drinking and it only made things worse. He hit Olga when she told him she was pregnant with Ronnie's baby, and they never heard from Olga again… It had been 5 years ago when the first hit was thrown, after that, Helga's existence was spent wishing she could die. )_

_Teachers and other people asked about the bruises, but Helga just said she had been clumsy and brushed it off. Teachers decided to let it go and Helga breathed a sigh of relief. "We Pataki's don't TALK about things" Big Bobs words echoed in Helga's Head._

_(Miriam tried leaving, stating she couldn't be with someone so dangerous. Helga knew what really happened to her mom, but since Bob still had a good reputation, he was walking a free man. The police report says that as she was leaving she turned around too fast and fell down the stairs… Helga knew very well her father pushed Miriam, causing her to break her neck along with an arm and a leg. Miriam didn't make it. Court was hard because she was tried to testify against her father… knowing what Big Bob did scared Helga, so she lied and said she was sleeping when it happened… She wishes she had told the truth. Bob's likeness for Helga saving his ass in court was short-lived, and he began to berate her and became even more of an alcoholic. Eventually he started with vulgar profanities, and it had slowly begun to escalate. Helga could defend herself fairly well against Bob, but when he was drunk (which currently was most of the time) he became a lot stronger and always won.)_

_Tonight, Big Bob listened as Helga came home. She had just gotten off her shift at the diner and had hurried to get home before Midnight. Her shift ended at 11:30 tonight because the other waitress was in Labor at the hospital, giving Helga extra hours. Unfortunately, it took Helga 35 minutes to get home from the diner. It was now 12:05am and Helga prayed he was passed out intoxicated. She was so wrong. Bob charged at her with his Lucky Belt and began to beat her with it, all while slurring hateful words and damaging what little of her self-worth she had left. Helga had no means of defense, and Bob wouldn't take a second to let her explain herself. After Bob had her curled into a bloody ball in the corner crying, he ordered her to stand and began to choke her violently. Helga had tried to get out of it, but slowly realized she couldn't win, and blacked out. Bob, thinking he had finally gotten rid of his last "Problem" slipped outside to get supplies to hide the evidence. Being drunk, he took longer to gather everything, and in that time, Helga had stirred and realizing what had happened, made a run for it out the front door. Everything she needed was in her book-bag, she had 10 specific sets of clothes at Phoebe's house for emergencies along with a set of spare hygiene products, as well as other clothes at school for Gym. She always kept her debit card in her pink wallet, in her pink bookbag, so she knew she was set. The only reason she hadn't gone to Phoebe's was because the rain was too much and she didn't want to explain to Phoebe's parents- although she was sure they already knew. _

So here Helga sat in a tree-house across from Arnold, her football-headed crush since she was 3 years old, pouring out a traumatic event in hopes he wouldn't think she is a total basket case and wishing she had died instead of embarrassing herself like this. It was just too much.

**Arnold's POV**

Arnold was shocked, to say the least. Half of him wanted to go and beat the stuffing out of Big Bob Pataki himself, the other half wanted to hold Helga and be the one to comfort her.

Arnold knew under the rough exterior, Helga was kind and sweet. He had no idea she could be so vulnerable, and he definitely had no idea she was so damaged, but he realized something else as Helga was talking. She hadn't just suffered tonight; she had been suffering this for a long time. He remembered Miriam's "accident" and wondered if that was even an accident at all. He wondered just how long this had been going on as well, and wondered if tonight he could finally help the girl he thought was always stronger than everyone else.

"Helga…?"

"Yeah…?"

"Exactly… How long has this been going on?"

"… The abuse has been there all my life."

"He's been hitting you all your life?" Arnold asked a lot more calmly than he truly was.

"No, just verbally abusing us. We were always following his orders and being pushed around by him…" _No wonder Olga was so fucked up…_ "The physical abuse started 5 years ago after Olga dropped out of college and got pregnant with some idiots baby. Bob hit her once and we never heard from her again. Miriam tried to leave but fell down the stairs and accidentally killed herself."

Arnold didn't like how she said that… It just seemed so… off…

"Its been me and the big doofus ever since. I got a job and now, Bob looks for any kind of reason he can to go ballistic and beat the stuffing out of me, even if im only 5 minutes late getting home. He thinks im out partying and getting knocked up." She didn't want to mention how every day she spent wishing she actually would just die, so she wouldn't have to deal with Bob, excuse the bruises, and deal with never being able to tell the boy in front of her that she loves him… as far as she knew, she was the walking rejection of the world. She started to cry again, feeling so pathetic…

Arnold's heart broke for the girl in front of him. Everybody had always thought Helga Geraldine Pataki was a strong, tough and unbreakable bully of a girl; she was crying and had had a mental breakdown right in front of him. Arnold wrapped his arms around her as she cried into her hands. He gently picked her up and cradled her in his arms while she cried. She grabbed onto him and cried, she finally let her guard down. The girl he knew wasn't this, but he realized she was much more broken than anybody he'd ever met. And the worst part for Arnold? The boy who always helped everyone, missed the one person who needed his help the most.


	5. Stop and Stare

The rain stopped.

Arnold looked over to Helga, now sleeping soundly beside him. He grabbed a strand of hair in her face and brushed it away. He realized there was a bruise behind it and his heart felt heavy… _'I just want her to stop hurting' _he thought to himself. '_I never realized she is so beautiful… especially when she is sleeping…' _Arnold blushed at the thought and decided now wasn't the time _'why would anybody ever do something so terrible to someone like her… no wonder she was so mean when we were kids…_' Arnold began to think about their childhood and all the terrible things she had done to him. He then began to think about all the times she had been kind or helped him, and tried to think if she had helped anyone else out. '_Maybe Helga didn't know how to show kindness? No, that couldn't be it- she had shown kindness multiple times throughout their life. Maybe she didn't want people to know she was nice? Seems a bit more probable… but why would Helga want people to think she is rude, mean and nasty? Nobody wants to be remembered for their bad qualities…' _Arnold began to let his mind wander around why Helga wouldn't want to be known as a kind person, if his assumptions were true? He knew part of it would be linked to her family, but he hadn't realized her family had gotten so bad. Helga used to always complain about her family, but never truly got into what they had done to piss her off and Arnold would roll his eyes, thinking to himself _"at least you have a family to drive you crazy." _Arnold began to regret his words as he examined Helga's face.

***Flashback***

Before they had fallen asleep, she had stepped outside to the porch of the tree house with him and used the rain to wash the metallic taste of dried blood off her face. Arnold, feeling antsy about watching Helga bathe- even if she was clothed- stepped inside to look for a flashlight in the junk box. Kids around the neighborhood would bring and leave stuff in Mighty Pete. When she came back inside, Arnold had found a flash light and a towel. Granted it didn't smell great but it was enough to dry Helga off. Arnold turned on the flashlight and got a good look at the broken girl, and it would haunt him forever. Helga shivered and Arnold felt terrible.

"Here" Arnold suggested as he took off his green sweater. Not much had changed about Arnolds appearance. He had grown a bit and began wearing the same teal color shirt under his plaid red one, but would wear his teal sweater every now and then when it got cold, finished with his regular pants and black shoes.

"Oh.. uh.. Thanks Arnold" she said taking his sweater sheepishly. "Uh… do you mind if I take my tank top off?... its cold and your sweater would be warmer without it…" She prayed she didn't sound like an idiot, but felt like she had asked too much, suddenly regretting her words-

"Of course." Arnold turned around allowing her privacy to change. His mind began to wander as Helga changed behind him, and he suddenly felt something raise in him, and began to blush profusely at the thoughts… he knew it wasn't the time, but he was a boy and couldn't help it. He decided to try and think of something- ANYTHING else.

"Done" Helga stated and Arnold turned around. _"Wow… She looks so cute in my sweater…" _He mentally smacked himself _"What am I saying? This is Helga!.. Not that she isn't pretty, just… nevermind." _

***End Of Flashback***

He tried to think of a happy moment and thought of the first time Helga wore make-up. He remembered smiling goofy because she actually looked pretty. Rhonda had been thrilled the first time Helga wore make-up in 7th grade, granted it was at a baseball game and the guys got a good laugh out of it, but Helga told them to pipe down and play the damn game. Helga refused to take off her pitchers mask and glove after the game, and he began to realize why she nearly screamed when he gave her a high-5 with the glove on. He also realized she didn't keep the pitchers mask on because she was embarrassed of her make-up. She was embarrassed someone would see the bruises.

He looked to the sleeping form of Helga beside him and felt a huge weight sink down inside him as he stared at the bruises on her face, around her neck and the dried blood on her clothes. He never thought she should wear so much make-up at school (he personally didn't like make-up on girls, thinking it hid their beauty), but now he knew exactly why she wore it, and understood it completely. _"Why didn't anybody stop to notice? and more importantly, Why didn't Helga say anything?" _a tiny voice in the back of Arnold's head spoke up _'She is too proud… she would never throw herself out there like that.' _

Arnold smacked his forehead _"OF COURSE! How could I be so stupid!" _he thought to himself! He knew Helga would never willingly put herself out there. Kids would probably laugh at the fact that she- Helga Geraldine Pataki; let her own father beat up the Playground Legend of PS 118. No wonder she was so mean.

Suddenly, Arnold realized why she was never willing to show kindness. She couldn't. She saw kindness as weakness. She only played strong so she wouldn't be messed with. Arnold felt a cold chill go through his body at the thought. Helga was never trying to be mean- she was just trying to protect herself... Arnold felt a tear slide down his cheek. But why would Helga find the kids at PS 118 a threat? They were all friends. Surely they wouldn't laugh at her for something so serious? Helga might not have the best reputation but abuse wasn't something to laugh at. Arnold rested his head in his hands and began to think of a way to help the broken girl beside him.

Helga began to wake up, and slowly realized somebody was beside her. She rolled over and was greeted with a beautiful boy grown up into almost a man. He smiled at her, and it warmed her heart. She didn't see it as pity; she honestly thought she was dreaming. She smiled at him, and realized her face hurt. She stood up and walked over to a circular mirror left in Mighty Pete a few years ago. She looked at her face and sucked in a huge breath. _'I'm gonna need a lot of make-up to hide it this time.' _She thought solemnly. She turned around and looked to Arnold now standing behind her.

"So…" she said quietly.

"So…" he repeated.

"You know you can't tell anyone…" Helga said sternly.

"Helga-" He started to argue.

"NO!" she cut him off abruptly with her hand up. "Arnold, yes, my family is broken, Bob is an ass, and I get the stuffing beat out of me every night. Shit happens-"

Arnold grabbed her just as abruptly and pulled her into him "No Helga, shit doesn't just happen. You need to go to the police and report Bob! He is a monster and a terrible father and you're lucky to be alive right now!"

Helga pushed him off and they stood glaring at each other "Oh really Arnold? You think reporting Big Bob is gonna stop him from hunting me down and killing me? That Jail or Prison will be enough to contain him? HA! If I go to the police, they'll handcuff him, charge him with domestic abuse, and set him free in a few months. Then, im as good as dead."

"Helga! Stop it! You need to get away from him before he really ends up hurting you!" Arnold wanted to cry, but he was too angry.

"You think I haven't tried running away? and as if I wasn't seriously hurt tonight!" Helga had tried to run before. She had gone to Phoebe's and was about to call the police when Bob showed up, took her home, and beat the stuffing out of her again. That was the month she went to school with a broken Ankle. "Besides Arnold! Where would I go? We have 6 months until we are seniors and then 10 more months until we graduate! Where would I possibly go?" Helga started to breathe hard. Then, she started to cry, still staring at Arnold.

"Helga…" Arnold approached Helga and hugged her. He waited until she stopped crying before continuing "you can come live with Phoebe, or Me." He said and Helga looked into his eyes like he had 2 heads.

"Arnold, I can't just go live with you. And Phoebe's family doesn't need to get dragged into all this Big Bob Drama." Helga rolled her eyes. She knew she couldn't… could she?

"Helga, I am extremely serious. If Phoebe's family can't help you, my family will. My grandparents know you, my parents love you, and im sure after we explained what is going on, they would be willing to make a deal or let you live with us."

"Arnold, if I moved in, I would feel terrible about not paying. I would pay rent, but I would lose all the money I've saved up." She looked at Arnold with pleading eyes. She wasn't going to just move in and be a free loader, she was too proud to do that. And it wasn't fair for her to do that to them.

"Helga, Im sure my grandparents and parents would understand your situation and would let you do chores around the house to help pay your rent." Arnold's eyes pleading her to come home with him tonight. He didn't want her to go home, especially now that he knew what she would go home to. "Helga, please come home with me. I don't want you staying here, and I don't want you to go home to be beaten by Big Bob anymore. If you do, this might be the last time I see you… Who knows what he would do if he got you alone one more time…" Arnold was staring into her eyes. She was nervous, and began to cry. He held her and rocked her as she cried. Arnold breathed a deep sigh. He wasn't giving up on her.


	6. Safely

"Fine…" She breathed. She really didn't want to go to his house like this, but it was the only choice she had… She had seen the determination in his eyes and heard the plea in his words.

He smiled and hugged her and a voice in her head whispered "Its okay now…"

Arnold and Helga had waited for the rain to lighten up, and took their chance to make a run for the boarding house with their items and groceries in tow. It was now 5:30 AM and everybody was awake getting ready for their days to start, when Arnold and Helga burst through the front door soaking wet.

"Oh Arnold! You're alright! Phew. Had me scared Shortman- Hey… Who's your lady friend?" Grandpa asked curiously. Pookie, Miles, Stella and Himself had been worried when he didn't come home last night, but decided he had gone to Gerald's for the night since it was raining. They hadn't expected him to bring home a girl, but knew better than to assume he had done anything with her. Arnold was a gentleman after all.

"Hey Grandpa… Uh, do you think we could talk in the living room… Away from all the boarders?" He asked. Arnold was nervous, but only because he didn't want people to poke and pry at Helga, she had already been through enough. He knew his family would be willing to help, especially when they heard what had happened.

"Sure Shortman and…" he motioned waiting for Helga to tell him her name..

"Helga" Arnold clarified before she could.

"Okay. You and Helga go ahead and get comfy in the living room, I'll go let the boarders know not to pry in on our conversation, and go wake up your parents."

"Actually Grandpa, I wanted to take Helga up to my room first so she could change out of her wet clothes, and once she was done I could change and then we could talk." Arnold held up his arms to show his Grandpa how soaked they were from the rain. Since Phil knew he could trust Arnold, he agreed and went to talk to the boarders, while Arnold and Helga went upstairs to change.

When Arnold and Helga came back downstairs, they were both dry in Arnold's Pajama pants and teal shirts. Arnold had to give Helga a teal jacket of his so she could cover the bruises on her body until it came time to reveal them to Arnold's family.

Phil, Pookie, Miles and Stella walked in anticipating the talk they were going to have with them. "Ah! Eleanor! How are you dear? Taking care of Roosevelt or stopping by on presidential matters?" Pookie exclaimed excitedly.

"Not now, Crazy old bat." Phil scolded the woman, thinking her words didn't have a bit of sense behind them. "So Shortman, mind filling us in?"

"Uh… You remember Helga, and how she has grown up with me… " Arnold was nervous and Phil could see it. He had known full and well who Helga was and had a feeling as to where this conversation was going. Inwardly smirking, he was actually happy to see him helping Helga. "Helga's family is having issues… and… She isn't safe at her house… and we were wondering if you'd be able to make a deal with her so she could live here with us…"

Miles smiled kindly "Well Arnold, I'm not opposed to the idea of her being here and she is more than welcome to stay, but id like to know specifically what about her house isn't safe?"

Helga looked down shamefully and Arnold stared at her with a heavy heart, deciding who would say it. Arnold began… "Helga…"

"Well…" Helga said still looking at the ground, cutting Arnold off. "My dad has been beating me for the past 5 years… I got off work tonight and came home 5 minutes late and he began beating me… and almost killed me… I blacked out and since he was drunk he ran outside but when I woke up, I ran and hid in Mighty Pete. Next thing I know, Arnold shows up and we talked." Helga was now fighting back tears as she took off the jacket and began to show Arnold's family her bruises on her arms to prove she wasn't lying. There on her milky white skin was dark embedded bruises nearly covering her. She lifted the pj legs and showed more bruises and cuts on her legs, then lifted the bottom of her shirt to show bruises on her stomach, and finally lifted her neck to show them the dark hand print on her neck. She was embarrassed, but they had to know she was actually being beaten.

Gasps were heard every time she lifted a piece of fabric from her body. "Sweetheart…" Stella said "You're covered from head to toe… NO. This simply won't do. Miles, call the police, now." Stella stated firmly and she wrapped Helga in a hug. Helga began to cry. She hated feeling so vulnerable, but she was so happy someone cared. She just didn't want to be a burden to them.

Miles called the police and almost half an hour later they showed up. Helga told them her story and was photographed in a bedroom to show her bruising.

Miles and Stella called the school and they dismissed Arnold and Helga for the next two days. Helga was allowed to sleep in Arnold's room since there were no spare bedrooms available, and they were told that once Bob was at the station and the house was cleared they would be notified so they could get her belongings from the Pataki Residence.

Arnold took Helga upstairs and told her she could sleep on his bed. She had refused, but after a bit of convincing, she was sound asleep in Arnold's bed. Arnold, being a gentleman, took the couch Gerald would sleep on.

At some point, Arnold woke up to crying. He opened his eyes and noticed Helga was rolling in her sleep, and was crying. He ran over to her and heard her scream.

"No. Please. Stop." Helga flew up from her sleep in a frenzy and began to cry. She was having a terrible nightmare. She suddenly felt someone hugging her and looked up to see Arnold. She quietly hugged him back and continued to cry.

"Hey" he spoke gently "Its okay. It's me Arnold. Im here." He sat down and pulled her into his lap, hugging her closely, trying to comfort her. He never imagined Helga could cry. He never imagined Helga would hug him. Hell, he never imagined he would help Helga so much and in less than 12 hours- yet here she sat crying in his arms, in his bedroom on his bed, and hugging him tightly. He rubbed her back in an attempt to make her calm down and sat with his back against the pillows on his bed, still holding her tightly. He didn't understand his sudden need to want to protect Helga, but he knew he didn't want to leave her side, especially right now.

After sitting there for a little while, he realized her crying had stopped and that she had fallen asleep in his arms. He really didn't want to wake her up, and if he was being truthfully honest, he didn't want to leave her alone. He decided to scoot down and lay beside her and go back to sleep. If anybody asked, he would explain what happened and if she asked, he would tell her she just looked so comfy and he didn't want to wake her.

Before Arnold let sleep over take him once more, he looked beside him to see Helga sleeping soundly in his arms and felt the sudden urge to kiss her forehead. He decided against it, thinking she would kill him and decided it wasn't his place to. He didn't know why he suddenly felt all these weird urges around Helga but decided he would do his best to ignore them. As sleep began to over take him, a little voice in his head whispered _"you know why…"_ and with that, Arnold fell asleep.


End file.
